Kentucky Kingdom
Kentucky Kingdom is a fantastic little park. Had a lot of fun on these park’s coasters, and I hope Hershend takes good care of them
Thunder Run (N/A)
Unfortunately, it was the start of the season so Thunder Run was not yet functioning. I was sad that I didn’t get to try out this Dinn woody, but oh well. A reason to come back
Roller Skater (#114)
Amazingly only my second Vekoma Junior coaster, although I have seen Flight of the Hippogriff. Roller Skater is a good starter coaster, smooth and fun but otherwise not really notable. It does have a nice setting over a river and though some trees. 5/10
Kentucky Flyer (#111)
This little guy is awesome! Trains are comfortable, the ride is smooth, and there’s a bunch of airtime. So many parks could use these (cough cough MtO). The trains look awesome, and kids seemed to love it. It’s in kind of a weird spot, but I don’t mind since they didn’t have to remove anything to put this coaster in. We did have to fight a mad family of geese to get on though… 7.5/10
T3 (#112)
My first SLC. I was actually excited to ride this coaster, as I love intense loopers, and have a higher tolerance for roughness than others. This one has those funky (KumbaK?) restraints that remind me of the Raptor straps with lab bar, and they were weird. My first ride front row was pretty awful, because every time I was shoved forward, my nether regions were given an uncomfortable squeeze. I was able to ride then in the back row, and it was great! I gave myself some room, and was given the chance to enjoy the forces without any pain. I’m excited to ride the extended version of this ride, with better trains, at the upcoming Lost Island Theme park next year! 8/10
Lightning Run (#110)
The longest line of the day was for this coaster, as the park had just opened for the year and this coaster only had one train signed off mechanically. I found it weird that this had the RMC seats and lap bar in an Arrow-style track, but hey it wasn’t bad at all. The airtime was pretty good, but I can kinda see why these haven’t taken off. It doesn’t really do anything notable other than give good solid airtime. I’m guessing if a park installed one of these, the GP would just assume this is an older coaster (given the Arrow track design) and probably avoid it. I guess my experience would have been better if the line didn’t spill onto the midway during a day where most rides were walk on, but hey it gives me a reason to come back. It is a very pretty coaster though, and looks good up near the front of the park. 8.5/10
Storm Chaser (#113)
This thing. It’s insane. Probably the most forceful RMC I’ve been on. Maybe that’s due to the steel structure, the fast wheels, or Alan was just on a particular maniacal streak. It reminded me a lot of a beta version of Twisted Timbers. The barrel roll drop was good, but not as refined as TT. The overbanks were kinda funky but not super interesting, or forceful like the cutback and overbank on TT. The trick track double up is just as good as TT though, but after that the coaster dies instead of going out with the best sequence of elements I’ve ever seen, as was the case on TT. As much as this coaster is great, I felt like it ended just a little too soon. They barely used half the structure of the old Twisted Twins, and I feel like they should have made the lift hill just a little bit taller and made the ending stronger, getting it over that 3,000 foot barrier. Goliath at SFGAm is only 400 feet longer, but that coaster is much taller and has much fewer elements. Goliath just executes on all of the elements, where only 2/3 of Storm Chaser’s elements are good or great. I’m really glad this small park got a great coaster like this, but you can definitely tell that there were budgeting constraints that impact the finale of this ride. 9+/10. For context, this coaster is my #10, with Goliath being #9, and Twisted Timbers being up at #3.
